Through The Fire
by Wicked Falcon
Summary: Jango Fett is just like other alpha males, wanting to raise strong Mandalorian warriors but there seems to be one slight hitch with his wish. He just needs to find the right partner for the job. How can a ruthless bounty hunter, assassin and mercenary achieve his goals?
1. It's Just Another Contract

Good evening to all the faithful followers. Yes, this is the brand new rewrite for this story that I have slaved over. I do hope that you like, but like always, it's really nice to know what you think. So please, don't be afraid to drop a review or two. It's good for the soul. Since this has hit the site, the older version will now be deleted to save confusion. So please, sit back and enjoy, the ride.

 _ **DISCLAIMER:**_ **_I own nothing but just the plot that is being weaved and the unidentifiable characters. Please continue on at own risk._**

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" _We, Mando boys, like to show we been in action." – Kal Skirata_

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 **Chapter 1: It's Just Another Contract**

 _ **I**_ t was a bounty hunters wet dream, a paradise, if you could term the world that Jango Fett now found himself on. Like most desert planets, this one was orbited by dual suns that produced soaring temperatures that incorporated dry and dusty conditions. It was a place where only the strong-willed could survive and they did this remarkably well. It was a harsh land with harsher people. The dregs of society wishing to be concealed from the law enforcers of the galaxy. It was an established fact that the outer rim planets held no law but their own and nothing ever stood in their way of retribution. This way of life was more than fine from Jango's point of view, just as long as they stayed out of his business, of course. If Tatooine had a twin brother, this would be it. It still amazed him that most of the backwater planets held a large percentage of slaves and most of that planet's economy is based off the buying and selling of humanoid flesh. Not that he would endorse the slave trade to begin with. He might have questionable morals but even he would never dabble in such an untasteful activity.

Jango shook away the information as he turned his mind to more pressing matters like conducting a final mental checklist of the weapons that was currently concealed upon his body before tying down his dual custom WESTAR-34 blasters to his thighs. Chuckling lightly as he slipped his helmet over his head and ran a diagnostics program for the environment controls. Feeling pleased when it came back with the clear signal, the repair that he had completed early had finally taken hold. Nothing made equipment fail more rapidly than a loose connection. And that fact alone could mean the life and death of the individual that he was hunting at the time. It was a lesson that had been learnt the hard way. It was the reason that he now found himself stopping off on a planet with no actual name but a set of coordinates that he required through means that was not entirely legitimate. Jango took a deep breath in, as he centralised his mind onto the objective of his mission. When he was feeling more in control, he signalled for Slave 1 to enter into lockdown mode that armed the hidden weapons onboard the craft.

Jango gasped slightly as the rolling wave of heat hit him squarely in the chest as he exited from Slave 1. A slight whirling sound indicated that his armour systems had shifted into a higher mode of function to help combat with the overwhelming heat that was pressing mercilessly against him. He was more than grateful that he had taken the time to repair that loose connection in his environment controls or he would have been a puddle of Mandalorian warrior. He could feel the perspiration forming upon his upper lip as he quickly scanned the area for hidden threats, noting that not many beings were making use of the shaded sidewalks in what he could presume was the main street of the town. Jango turned away from his ship as he stood in the sun's rays for a few moments before he headed towards the shaded sidewalks that he had seen early. He had an urgent need to get to the Smuggler's Paradise before his competitor made contact with the potential client.

Smuggler's Paradise Cantina was well hidden down one of the little alleyways that broke off from the main street. The interior's cool air blew over Jango in a strong contrast of the outside heat as he slowly made his way into the building. The noisy din was muted down to a bearable level as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darken interior that all cantinas seem to give off as he scanned the different beings in their various dealings. He spied a shadowy corner in the rear as he made his way to where the bar tender was idly standing while wiping down the counter. Jango had discovered early on in his career that bartenders were the best source of information as people had a tendency to talk when large amounts of alcohol was consumed. He had also found it beneficial if he purchased atleast one tankard of ale in the transaction if he needed that vital piece of information. They were more inclined to pass information along if you were a paying customer.

After ordering Coreillan Ale, he made his way over to the shadowy corner after he had gleaned the needed information. It would appear that he had beaten his competition. Though, he was not very surprise by that considering his competition had last been seen slumped over the table as he stare bleary eyed while drooling into his tankard of unidentified alcoholic beverage. It was the oldest trick in the galaxy of using alcohol to loosen tongues. It was also the quickest way of being robbed from whatever credits that the being may have. It was not a position that he wished to find himself in again. That is why he was returning the professional curtesy that his competitor had dealt him when he had taken Jango's mark from the last job.

There was no easy or fast way of knowing the unspoken rules that govern the principle idea of bounty hunting. The profession itself was shrouded in mystery and only the most seasoned of the bunch would know the tricks of the trade. It was not a decision that was made lightly or even consciously when that being found themselves within the profession. It was also easier to not form outside attachments considering the work that he was employed to do. It was almost like living as a Jedi in that respect. But that did not explain the feeling of uneasiness that had slowly crept into his mind. He had an unnamed desire and after he had completed this job, he would visit his family farm on Concord Dawn to try sort the emotions that were swirling inside him and was providing an unneeded distraction.

He settled his back against the wall as he faced the opened room. It was most difficult to relax his body language and he sighed when a serving wench spied him as she changed directions with a lusty smile and a saucy sway of her hips. Though, she appeared beauty in form, she was failing to fire his blood as he gave a negative shake of his head to deterred her from her chosen course of action. Her lips drew into a pout before she tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned upon her heel to her original target. Jango had always prided himself on having a healthy appetite but each encountered had left him feeling empty and unsatisfied with the female companion. This was when the idea of visiting his family farm had entered his head but he needed to keep his head about him as he waited. Even if he was comfortable amongst the mottle dregs of society, it would be the height of foolishness for him to lower his guard as he stared down at his ale in front of him for a brief moment.

The flare of bright light spilled across the room as the door opened for another patron to enter the establishment had caught Jango's attention as he raised his eyes to scan the area as the humanoid approached the bartender. His interest was piqued when the bartender had pointed in his general direction as the being slowly ambled over. The humanoid's posture had shown his distaste of being in such an establishment as his strides were short and tight. Jango chuckled darkly as the contemptuous expression that graced the male humanoid's face as he came to a stop in front of Jango's table. _This must be the contact_ , he mused just as darkly as he studied the male that now stood in front of him.

"Are you Jango Fett?" The male asked after studying the armoured bounty hunter that sat within the shadowy confines of the cantina. His vocals held an ever slight hissing sound as if he was speaking through a fork-tongue. The time had been spend trying to examine the T-shape visor that held people's fascination and wreaked havoc in most criminal circles. Jango quirked an eyebrow as he had thought that the armour itself was distinctive enough for identification purposes. This thought had made Jango rankle at the perceived slight as it had taken a considerable amount of time and blood, his blood, to build his reputation to what it was these days.

"What's it to you?" Jango shifted slightly forward within his seat as he watched a shudder run down the contact's spinal cord at his altered voice. He had deliberately pitched it lower and rougher to give himself a more menacing tone when he spoke through his vocaliser.

"It would appear that I have an arrangement that you might be interested in." The humanoid spoke as he held out a palm. "It would be remiss of me not introducing myself. In these parts I'm known as Elkiran."

"And what is this arrangement that you spoke of, Mr Elkiran?" Jango glanced down at the outstretched fingers while debating with himself on the merits of social niceties. Elkiran started to feel self-conscious as he retracted the offered hand and shifted uneasily upon his feet for a few moments. It was not very often that he was made to feel uneasy even if he did not like his current location but business needed to be conducted.

"May I have a seat?" Elkiran asked as Jango gave a slight nod of consent. "The short version of my dilemma is that my wife by law has stolen my firstborn son. With the help of another female slave, she fled my protection off world with my only heir." He explained as he folded his arms over in front of him upon the table. "The point is I have no need for such a treacherous female within my family. I would like my child back but I have no compunction for what you do to the females."

"I'm not usually in the business of dissolving marriage arrangements. I leave that for the more stonehearted ones of my profession. I can retrieve your boy for you but that will take time and money." Jango reasoned out as he watched Elkiran carefully. He might seem like a well-mannered business man but even Jango knew the type of darken personalities that they hid from the world. "It would be in the amount of one hundred thousand credits for this type of request."

"But that is too much." Elkiran screeched his displeasure at the sum of credits he would need outlay for his request to have his wife by law terminated. "That was not the amount that I was informed of by an earlier arrangement."

"And who was that made these arrangements? Gastov Peekins?" Jango demanded as he sat up straighter. "I don't usually speak ill about anyone that is in the bounty hunting profession. Bad for business to be seen bad mouthing the competition but I have a question that you may want to consider when deciding over my offer. Do you want the job done and with as little resources as possible?"

"You still drive a hard bargain, bounty hunter." Elkiran groused as he sat back in the seat. He was not happy to be placed into a corner of his own making. "There are so many different variables . . ."

"Exactly." Jango glared through his visor, not wishing for the first time that he had his helmet off for the look to really give an effect. "The trail would be rather old and time would be needed to trace to which planet she had settled into. Space travelling with a child is not to be done lightly. She would need to find a place where she can lay low for a while. That takes money and time, valuable resources, unless they have found a ship of their own, of course?" Jango sighed at the negative shake of Elkiran's head.

"How do I know that you will get the job done?" Elkiran glanced once more into the visor, trying to get an emotional read of the being underneath. Jango Fett was being a difficult man to deal with as Elkiran had no bargaining tool that he could hold over Jango's head.

"You know what my reputation says." Jango tilted his head slightly as he shifted more forward to lean his considerable weight onto his elbows. "You are also well aware what I'm capable of when people double cross me."

"Everyone that moves around in these parts knows. What says you bounty hunter?" Elkiran was not settled with the changed arrangements but he would need to cope if he was going to get his heir back.

"I ask for a boon in this arrangement. Due to the length of the contract, that I should be able to pick up other contracts as I track down your wife's trail." Jango conceded as he knew that the length of time would be considerable in nature.

"I agree to that request." Elkiran growled softly as he watched the bounty hunter shift in his seat. Not in fear but to gain comfort which surprised Elkiran as he was use to the people around him jumping to do his bidding. Maybe he had made a tactical error of not having his bodyguards come in with him, as a show of force that the bounty hunter needed to be reminded of.

"Then we have a deal." Jango stated as he stuck his hand out. "Haat, ijaa, haa'it." ( _Truth, honour, vision_ ).

"So be it." Elkiran shook the Mandalorian's hand, feeling like he had just signed his life away to the warrior in front of him. "I will have your information in two hours."

"I will be waiting." Jango stated as he watched the hasty retreat that the male had made out of the cantina. It would be very interesting to see what type of information that Elkiran would give considering the side contract that he wanted done. Jango breathed in deeply before unclipping his helmet, removing it and took a sip of his ale. It would be height of foolishness not to finish his drink. If he had time after he received the information he would go for a quick tumble in the sheets with a willing female. It could get very cold and utterly lonely in the deep darkness of space.

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The sound that he emitted was a long and low growl as he slapped his hand against the scanner that adorned Slave 1's opening. After quickly breaking the environ seal of his helmet, he roughly removed and flung it into the hidden hutch that housed it before it could meet the bulkhead and he would need to repair it again. Which was the only thought that stopped him from carrying through with the action was the amount of time it took to repair the damage from the last bout of anger and frustration that flowed through his veins. Breathing out his air forcibly as he stomped over to where the armour was stored and started slipped the different pieces of armour from his body until he was only clad in armour from the waist down. While peeling his black body glove down he felt the material pinched where the blood had started to dry, clenching his jaw as he made his way to the fresher so he could attend to his wounds that he had received in the last brawl at the Three King's Cantina.

Some of the blood had become sluggish as he shifted around in the mirror to gain a clearer view of what he was dealing with. He could see where the blade had slipped between the plates on his armour and stitches were needed to close up the incision. Jango grabbed a medikit that was stash in the drawer as he turned the tap on to wet the cloth before cleaning the area. Short of grabbing an unexpecting person off the street, he would need to do the task himself. Grateful, that it was something that he had plenty of practice at. He threaded the needle before he started to push it through his skin. His jaw clench as he tried to hold back the vocalisation of pain as he watched the steady work of his hand before tying off the thread when it was finished. Thankful, that he was ambidextrous for a change as he slipped the rest of the cumbersome armour and restrictive body suit from his lower half. Giving his body suit the once over as he threw into the clothes pile that he would need to mend later as it was cleaned while he had a shower to wash the various fluids from his body.

The one problem that he had discovered when it came to his species was the heightened senses. While it was useful most of the time, it could be a hindrance when it came to scent of smell. And the one thing that clung to his skin was the planet stench as he stepped into the wash cubical. Hot water misted down upon his shoulders but it was not to his liking and he pushed a button for a decent steam of water. He bent his head forward as he leant against the wall, groaning in pleasure, from the water hitting that spot between his shoulder blades. Sighing as he quickly washed his body and rinsed off, he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Jango gathered his discarded armour before making his way into his sleeping quarters, laying it down upon the desk as he searched through until the data rod from Elkiran was found in his utility belt. He decided that a meal was more pressing demand as he gave a quick survey of his dirty armour realising that it would need to be repaired as well before it was restored back into its resting place. Not bothering with clothing as he made his way to the small gulley that served as an eating area. He had never been more grateful for the ship's atmospheric climate as he searched through his stores until he could make a satisfying meal and not bothering with the protein bars this time. Jango made a mental notation that his stores where low which would mean that he needed to gather supplies before he left the planet.

A conversation from earlier in the day had struck him as being odd but he did not redress it then as he figured it was none of his business. The contract itself was unusual considering the type of work that the client wanted conducted. While Jango was no stranger to taking a life, it just seemed a little over dramatic to kill your partner because they decided they did not want what you offered. It had gotten him thinking that maybe this was one of the reasons that he found it difficult to settle down into a domestic situation where he was able to raise a few warriors to carry on the family name and traditions. It was not like his profession fostered trust amongst them. It did not matter anyway because what the client paid for, the client got. No matter the personal ramifications. It just added to the boiling conflict that was swirling inside him. He shook his head as he filed the thoughts way as being fanciful as he was only in his late twenties. He was still young and not even in his prime yet. He had the whole universe at his feet and more than enough warm female willing companions for his pleasure.

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Blue eyes peered outside into the haze as it drifted up from the stones that were the road on the planet that she found herself upon. The cool shadows, a blessing, from the building heat that was sure to become another vicious afternoon thunderstorm. Though, Draxis was mostly a temperate world with lush green rainforests and beautiful aqua oceans. It was still a planet that was mainly uninhabited by other bipedal species. And if the rumours were to be believed than it was just as dangerous from the inhabitants of the planet. Draxis was only a world that was beginning to establish itself as part of a trade route. Pirates were known for frequenting planetside to gather supplies and replenishing stock for the slave market. It was one of the reasons why most of the residents wore cloaks that protected them from the unpredictable weather and acted as a deterrent for the pirates that were looking to make some quick cash.

Slender hands pulled the cloak hood over the multi-coloured hair that framed the heart shaped face as they soothed down the material to reach into the pocket that held the list of supplies that the household needed. Pulling herself to her full height of five foot five, she welcomed the cool breeze that ran through the dwelling that protected the residents from the twin blazing suns that orbited outside. Though, the heat could be suffocating during the daylight hours, the residents were joyful when the temperature eased a few degrees at night. It had been an adventure to get where the family was and she would not have changed it but she was a cautious creature by nature. The fact that they had been gone this long spoke volumes of the determination of the female that she had called Mistress when she was still a slave that had been assigned to attend in the nursery that fateful morning.

She was little more than a servant now considering it was safer than being a freed woman. She could move around freely enough but she was still not use to being able to call her earnings her own. Taylia was accustomed to hard labour and she was not built for the life of leisure like her old mistress, Mya. It had taken a considerable amount of time before new habits were formed. It was also a learning curve for Mya for the fact that she had not really had to work for herself and was unable to run a functional household. There were fights and bickering amongst themselves as they learnt to live together on a regular basis. Difficult would be such an easy word to use but that was not what their situation was. Taylia had been unable to figure out why Mya had ran when she had everything, not realising until much later that Mya was little more than a slave herself. Her bars were more gilded than the harsh beatings and no food treatments that Tayla had sustained but it still amounted to the same thing. Both were prisoners to the mad man that held them in his grasp.

It was still unfathomable that a person would space travel with such a young child. That child was still a baby who was having his midday sleep as Taylia realised that this would be her only opportunity to visit the markets that was only a few blocks away from her dwelling. She needed to procure their weekly provisions as Mya had taken to working to gain means of living in such a hostile environment. Taylia was not complaining about the situation that they found themselves in but could actually say that it was evitable that Mya learnt about how real life worked. They needed credits to live and bills needed to be paid. They were still learning together on how life worked as a free person. Taylia breathed in deeply as she made the short distance quickly as the wind was starting to stir the dust into the air which meant the promised thunderstorm was not far away as she could see the thick dark clouds billowing from the mountains. The taste of sweetness filled the air that spoke of future rains that would herald the oncoming storm.

"Taylia, my dear." Hitayala greeted as soon as the young female stood in front of her stall, clutching her cloak tightly as she pulled the piece of paper from her pocket. "What I can get for you?"

"Hello Hitayala." Taylia inclined her head in greeting as she showed the older woman the piece of paper that Mya had written. "I think it's the usual. So that would be it please." She had not much to do with the reading and writing aspects of life but she had been able to pick up some words over the years.

"Ah yes." Hitayala glanced at the neat handwriting as she shuffled through her wares. "I think Dethroc has that." She pointed out as she handed the paper back.

"Thank you." Taylia grasped the paper and shoved it back into her pocket as she drew the required credits out and placed them into Hitayala's wrinkled hands. "That should be enough."

"Are you still looking for extra credits?" Hitayala blinked as Taylia looked shock for a moment before shaking her head. "I noticed that you're unable to read."

"That's a long story. I'll tell it to you one day." Taylia shifted uncomfortably under Hitayala's piercing stare as her hand strayed to the paper in her pocket.

"I look forward to that day." Hitayala bobbed her head as she put the credits away and pushed the bags towards Taylia. "Iselai was asking about you again."

"What did she want now?" Taylia furrowed her brows at the mention of the prominent woman's name. She was tired with the persistence of the woman as she asked nearly everyone about their finances. Taylia had no trust for people like that as she pulled the bags closer to her body and prepared to carry them.

"She was after the usual information. I don't like that one. Bad vibes, she gives me." Hitayala urged as her wise eyes searched the sky. "Get along now, young one. I have an ache in my old bones."

"Thank you Hitayala. I'll see you later." Taylia inclined her head slightly in farewell. She turned upon her heels and walked towards Dethroc's stall for the rest of her provisions. It was surprisingly easier this week than the last couple of weeks since they had landed planetside.

"Greetings, young one." Dethroc smiled his toothless grin as he stood up from his chair when Taylia got to his stall. "What can I get for you today?"

"Hello, Dethroc. Hitayala said that you may have this item." Taylia greeted back as she pulled the worn list from her pocket and pointed to the item that she needed.

"Yes, I do." His eyes squinted so he was able to read the word better. "How is your charge?"

"Sleeping but I do need to get back soon." Taylia murmured as she flicked her gaze towards the sky as the clouds that had seemed so far away where drawing closer to the town. "Hitayala says there is a storm approaching."

"Here you go and thanks for the warning." Dethroc wrinkled his nose as a sweet scent filled the air. "You should run home now."

"I will." Taylia smiled as she slid the right amount of credits towards him as he shook his head when he refused her payment. Taylia chewed her lip as she looked at him in confusion. This was a situation that she had never been in before and had absolutely no idea on how to precede with the transaction.

"You need that for the youngling." Dethroc lifted his eyebrow. "I have a shirt that you could mend for me. We trade for that?"

"Agreed." Taylia breathed a sigh of relief as they reverted to the bartering system. It was how she supplemented their income on the other worlds was bartering her sewing or cooking skills for the essential items that they needed. Mya had discussed at length about starting a laundry service but it would be very time consuming and it would not be easy with a child hanging off her hip. "Thank you Dethroc. I'll see you later." She inclined her head in farewell as she grabbed the last provision that they would need and turned around to make her way home before the storm made its presence known.

"Same to you as well, young one." Dethroc chuckled as he started to close up his stall for the approaching storm. "Sorry, I'm closing for the approaching storm." He called out to the approaching customer as he pointed to the dark billowing clouds that were starting to appear more ominous now that they were drifting over the township.

The atmosphere crackled with the unspent electricity as Taylia ran to get to her shelter as the clouds swirled overhead. The water had been misting as she reached the overhang of the dwelling when that misting turned into fat drops of water that splash as the heavens open up and the lightning flashed across the sky. You could feel the thunder rumbling through the ground before a sharp crack signalled that the pent up energy had been used. She could understand why Mya never made the provisions run on this world because the weather was too unpredictable for her gentle constitution. She would never to be able to understand her Mistress' statement of being amongst the "bottom feeders" unsettled her delicate constitution was only a front and that she did not know the basics when it came to running a household. It had been a rather confusing time as the choice of planets had not made any sense until the idea of a bounty hunter being set upon them to retrieve what had belonged Elkiran and Mya was adamant that it was not going to the females but his beloved heir. Taylia had learnt to live looking over her shoulder but this was taking it to another level as she had no idea who would take the contract and she did not have the funds to offer a counter-contract. It was not a thing that she liked to dwell upon but it was in the back of her mind anyway.

* * *

The suns reflected brightly off his cleaned and polished armour as he exited slowly but stiffly from Slave 1. The stitches had snagged early on his body glove as he tried to dress for the provisions and information run that he needed to make before he could leave this dust ball of a planet. The information that he was seeking he would need to gather from the space dock master. It had taken him the better part of his sleeping cycle to read and organise the information from the data rod. It had turned to be a fruitless effort as the information was sketchy at best. It was laughable to the point that it was either an amateurish recordkeeping or a blatant attempt at hiding information, either way it was just plain annoying. The only data that he could use with any success would be their descriptions and holopics.

The feeling of being observed tingled down his spine as he used the pretence of checking over his ship as Jango discreetly inspected the shadows for hidden potential threats. Not that he was likely to find any but only the most curious of creatures would visit the space docks. Occasionally, the odd being seeking a means of escaping the confines of their situation but Jango had an idea on who the possible observer was. It would appear that this part of the game would never change as he slyly glanced down at his gauntlet. One thing he hated more than a Jedi was being observed too closely and if they thought Slave 1 was their target, they would be in for a rather nasty surprise. He chuckled darkly as he turned on his heel and headed to the docking master's office. Discreetly glancing around as he attuned his hearing to the different beings around him as he pushed opened the door. He did not need anyone to pay any type of attention to his conversation with the docking master inside.

"What can I do for you?" The gruff voice muttered from behind a computer screen. The office while tidy, the desk was another story. Paperwork laid littered around with folders laying in a chair that beside the desk. A grimace marred his brow for a moment as he softly cursed the computer before giving the man his attention. He breathed in deeply as he recognised the bounty hunter standing in his office. The dock master had heard some horrific stories about the man that was slowly stalking across the floor.

"I need some information." Jango stated without preamble as he came to a halt in front of the counter. The dock master just sat beyond that as Jango placed his arms onto the counter. "The people that I'm searching for left here no more than three months ago."

"I have a lot of beings and creatures come through these docks." The dock master leant back in his chair. "And three months is a long time." He smirked at the bounty hunter.

"I just need the ship's name that they flew out on." Jango gritted his teeth as the game of information extraction started. Nearly everyone that he had dealt with had gone the same path. Usually it ended with credits changing hands or a dead body and Jango was feeling more inclined with the dead body at present. "Three people flew out of here."

"Look Fett. Traffic through this port was high three months ago. Now, it's not busy. Trying to keep track of three beings in a mass of moving bodies, even I'm not that good and that was before cameras were installed." The dock master sighed as he shifted in his seat. The day had only begun and he had to deal with a bounty hunter.

"It's real simple." Jango's voice pitched low as frustration flared inside his mind as he struggled to control the impulse of dragging the dock master over the counter. He knew that he was sore and tired, and that made his disposition even more shaky as his patience slipped further. "I need the information of two females, one young and the other older with a small male child. The younger one is roughly about twenty but could pass for much younger. The older female is about twenty-five and the child was no more than a newborn. I believe about six weeks old."

"You do realise how many situations are like that?" The docking master shook his head but he had an idea on who the people in question were. "It's easier to pass through a docking port like that than being accompanied with multiple males. That draws attention and can raise a few alarm bells."

"Space travel is not for the faint hearted, especially with such a young child." Jango growled low in his throat as his blood stirred ready for battle as anger flared and intertwined itself with the frustration. He really should not have gotten out of the bunk this morning. His whole body was coil tighter than a snake ready to strike; his hand was on his blaster to be drawn in a moment's notice.

"That much is true I suppose." The dock master breathed out softly before turning back towards his terminal. "I believe the ship you are after . . ." His fingers tapped away at the keys as he quietly hummed to himself.

"Yes?" Jango looked at him expectantly. The beast was starting to stretch and wake up from his slumber. He really needed to do some damage or hunt something. He needed to release the pent up energy which had been getting stored lately as carnal pursuits no longer satisfied the beast. It wanted blood and it did not particular care to which it belonged.

"Is the Wayward Jewels. The recorded ship manifest had it heading towards the Capza system. Now whether it reached there or not, I have no idea." He gulped as he took in the tense figure of the bounty hunter. His hand holding the blaster as the dock master hoped that he would not be vaporised by the bounty hunter today. That would be a highly difficult thing to try to explain to his heavily expectant wife.

"You got possible names to go with that ship?" Jango gritted his teeth as he slowly slid his blaster away. He knew that he radiated irritation but that was not the dock master's fault.

"Let's see. Passenger manifest states that there were six extra people on board." The dock master tapped a few more keys before hitting a final key and another machine roared to life. "Look I printed the ship details out for you." He got up and retrieved the information before approaching the bounty hunter. His hand tremble slightly as he held it out and Jango took it with a brief thank you.

"I don't want this information to go to Elkiran." Jango stated as he folded the paper and placed it in his utility belt as he quickly scanned the list of names and Reynolds stood out. He was rather surprised that they had used the younger female's name but he should not have been considering she was virtually unknown within the wider community as she had been a slave since she was four. There was no information before that age but the older female had a little bit more. Not much more, but enough to imply that she had come from a wealthy family and the marriage was a settling of debts. Jango was really beginning to detest the idea of slaves and the owning of them.

"There is no love for that slimeball." The docking master admitted as turned back around and took his seat again. "He just likes to think that he owns this little town since he opened the Pulitrob Orbs mine."

"See that it's kept that way." Jango warned before slipping the docking master a few extra credits. He was due to fly out in the next couple of hours as he turned upon his heels and made his way back to the door when the docking master's voice echoed after him.

"Did you just threaten me?" His voice shook with uncertainty as Jango looked over his shoulder at him, a hard look at the docking master as he decided on what game the di'kut ( _idiot_ ) was playing.

"We, Mandalorians, don't threaten. We promise." Jango threw over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

The afternoon storm had proven to be a magnificent beauty as the thunder rolled long and low before ending in a sharp crackling sound as the lightning flashed against the blackest clouds that the town had seen in a long while. The rain was teeming as the streets rapidly turned into creeks that were slowly forming in raging rivers. The electricity still held strong as Taylia reached down and brought the baby to her chest. She stood there for a few quiet moments in reflection as the storm raged outside, her emotions storming within her. Taylia enjoyed the sweet smell that Arterlet's skin was producing as he continued to smile and gurgled to the world around him. She buried her nose into his hair and inhaled the fresh powdery scent that was clean baby. He was such a joy to be around as he started to look at the world around him. Taylia smiled softly as she kissed his fingers, imprinting herself upon his young impressionable mind.

"I have work to do. Did you know that Art?" She laughed as he just smiled and waved his little fists around. It had been a real joy in watching him as he slowly developed his personality. She gently placed him upon his belly as he craned his head around to stare at her. A look of disbelief marred his features before he realised that he had freedom. It was truly amazing what such a small creature could do. Even not quite five months old, he could lift his head and roll from his front to his back. She was looking forward to him crawling but she was also dreading that same prospect of movement.

"Doesn't look like the storm will be letting up?" Mya commented softly as she walked into the room and crouched down by her child.

"They say it's the change of season." Taylia remarked back as she sat down in the chair and picked up the shirt that Dethroc had brought around in the morning. The shirt had seen better days but he swore that it was his favourite shirt and he could depart from it. Taylia smiled at his antics so early in the morning that it had set the tone for the rest of the day.

"I didn't think that was possible. This is a very temperate world to begin with." Mya giggled as she watched Arterlet draw his knees underneath him and started to rock.

"He will be crawling soon." Taylia dryly stated as she squinted to thread the needle. The lights flickering briefly as the thunder crackled loudly overhead.

"Then we will be in a world of trouble." Mya breathed as she pushed herself to her full height and went to stand over next to the window, her eyes turned outwards as she watched the storm as well.

"I only get that look when something is bothering me." Taylia muttered before cursing softly as she pricked her finger with the needle. "What is on your mind?"

"I was contemplating the future early this evening." Mya folded her arms behind her back as she looked quickly at Tayla nervously. "I was wondering what the fate of my child would be if I was to pass on from this world."

"I don't know." Taylia uttered as she looked at the woman that was calm but on edge. She putted down the shirt and folded her hands into her lap, waiting for Mya to continue on. Taylia had learnt early on to listen when Mya spoke of something because it usually happened the way that Mya had seen it.

"You have been a loyal and faithful servant. You have become a person rather close to me. Like a dear family member." Mya struggled to articulate her words as they kept failing her.

"We have both learnt a few things together and that helped form our bond." Taylia added as she breathed out softly. She hated putting her emotions into words but she could see that Mya needed a helping hand.

"What I am trying to ask if I pass on from this world, could you please raise Art like he is your own. I don't want him to be returned to his father." Mya broke down and started to weep as she thought about the possible future.

"Then I will do it." Taylia swore as Mya gave a trembling smile at the young woman, the only person from her previous household to treat her with respect. Which was such a strange thing that she had been drawn to the little slave girl

"That is very much appreciated." Mya closed her eyes as she gave thanks to her god that Taylia had taken that task on. She was not able to speak to the reasoning of why they were in the situation that they were in but they seem to be coping fine. Just like the voice whispered to her that it would be alright.

"Are you working tonight?" Taylia asked as the storm seem to abate as the day drew to a close and the night sky was starting to be blanketed by the tiny dots of sparkling diamonds.

"No, I'm on call tonight but we know that can change. As long as Iselai keeps paying me, I have no complaint." Mya sighed softly before leaving the room with a very confused Taylia looking after her. She must have seen something that shook her up badly to ask such a request. Taylia was interested in knowing what it was exactly they were to face in the future. She would need to wait because she knew that Mya would never tell her unless it was absolutely necessary.

* * *

His fingers had made quick work of inputting the coordinates into the flight computer before he sat back and glanced out the side viewing portal as he thought back to his early conversation with the docking master. The sinking feeling that he had been experiencing of late had intensified within the office. Its persistence had been signalling to Jango what he had been denying for so long, that he was on the brink of losing what humanity he had left. It was such a fine line to walk with the inner bloodlust that flared through his veins. The demand it placed upon him when in battle, the same demand that it was making on him now. That he should be married with a couple of children at his feet to guide and train into fine warriors worthy of being called Mandalorians. Many others had followed the same path with success and at a much younger age. Considering it was almost normal to have a mate and a child by seventeen. Jango knew at that age, he was not of any real use for the family situation.

He had been rather brash with the choices he had made. He was more likely to be moving without a moment's notice and that was hard when small children were involved. But most importantly, he had nothing to offer to any potential mates. He was too full of energy and life. He had things to do and places to see, not realising that he would be dragged into a war that was not of his choosing. The devastation that he had witness further fuelled his desire in not settling down. The idea of losing someone close to circumstances like that was horrifying to even contemplate. But the truth of the matter was, you could only ignore instincts for so long before they turned on you. Jango had felt this compelling need to visit his family farm on Concord Dawn, whether to settle his demons or not. That matter would yet remain to be seen.

Jango sighed as he rubbed a hand over his face when he thought back over his childhood before Death Watch had slaughtered his family and gave him a real taste of what pain and suffering was really like. It gave him the taste of vengeance and he had not stopped until Death Watch had been hunted into non-existence. He did not think that it had really helped with dealing with his commitment issues that he knew he had that stemmed from that one instance in time. He was not looking to the day where he would be saying farewell to his chosen mate because death was inevitable and it came for everyone. It was a hard fact of life even if he had a hand in that fact himself. It was on a more personal level that he was not able to form the close bonds needed to have a family. The idea of trusting another being with his darkest secrets and personality was rather an elusive concept for him.

Jango found himself to be in a quandary of the situation that he was in. His eyes swept over his beloved home of the last few years. It was not a very conductive environment in raising a stable growing family. He would need to source a space that he could build into a home with a mate and children. He huffed a laugh as he shook his head at his own foolishness. It would explain the dissatisfaction that he had found with his current companions. He was too busy clinging to the past and not seeing the future. At the tender age of twenty nine, Jango Fett, ruthless bounty hunter, assassin and mercenary wanted a family and a life to share with a wife. It was the dream of any well-established Mandalorian warrior, having a family to call his own. The desire had flared and was calling to him with the song of the siren. All he needed to do now was find a woman strong enough to share it with him.

* * *

So new character developed and hopefully, a better flow now. I have no idea when the next chapter will be posted but it is a work in progress. So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	2. First Stop - Velcar Sector

Good morning, afternoon and evening to everyone that is currently reading this new installment. I have been working really hard in getting it to this final stage and I do hope that you all enjoy the effort. Please feel free to leave a review when you have finished. It allows me to know what I need to improve or what needs to change. Reviews are wonderful things. So please, sit back and enjoy the ride!

A special thanks to the people that are following and favouriting this story. Your support means the world.

 _ **DISCLAIMER:**_ __ _ **Please re**_ _ **ad first chapter discla**_ _ **imer because it certai**_ _ **nly has not changed yet.**_

* * *

 _"Home is where the armour is" – Unknown._

* * *

 **Chapter 2: First Stop - Velcar Sector**

 _ **S**_ lave 1's proximity alarms reverberated through the hull as Jango cursed long and loud before he could terminate the blaring claxon. He rubbed at his eyes as he sat up straighter in seat, not realising that he had fallen into a light doze after running the last systems check. Deep space runs were never fun as there was only so much that you could do while traversing the wider galaxy when you travelled alone. A lot could be learnt about a person that survived the rigours of deep space. Though, it did allowed the luxury of being introspective without external interruptions. Maybe that was why a few of his contemporaries where either drunks, gamblers or completely mentally unstable because they did not like what they saw, what they were turning into. Jango had figured that he was losing touch with his humanity with each contract that he took on but it still would not stop the instinctual desire of furthering his genealogical line. Giving his head a little shake before turning his attention to the controls in front of him as Slave 1 decelerated out of hyperspace.

Jango stared intently outside as the planet surface drew his attention. He could see the atmospheric shield that protected Capza from unwanted pirates and marauders. The white ozone layer sat peacefully under that but what really stood out was the different blues, greens, browns and blacks that mixed together to make a stunning spectacle of lush rainforests which stretched for miles that met beautiful sparkling water. The information that he had been able to gather on this particular planet was that it was tropical. He could see that it was a well-hidden jewel of the Velcar Sector. Jango had landed on many different terrains over the years but very few were still able to steal his breath away with sheer beauty like Capza had been able to do. It would be prime hunting ground for those who choose to travel this far out into the outer territories. This planet was safe enough because he knew that not many from his profession had knowledge of this little gem and he had plans of keeping it that way. The rumours that circulated about the Velcar Sector would assist with this objective as no one wanted to deal with the Commerce Master Commissioner from the Velcar Free Commerce Zone. He saw no reason to disabuse them of that notion.

"Hailing, unidentified space craft! You are currently in Capza restricted space." The voice crackled over the communication channel that Slave 1 had been scanning since it had left hyperspace. It was always difficult to know what frequency different planets used. "Please identified yourself or be prepared to be fired upon."

"Roger that." Jango acknowledged as he pressed a few buttons. "This is Slave 1 requesting a landing platform in the main docking area. I have forwarded my credentials for verifying."

"Please hold Slave 1 while we verify your credentials." The shielding officer crackled as Jango could hear other low pitched voices in the back ground.

"Roger." Jango acknowledged before sitting back in his seat. He placed Slave 1 into standby as he waited for the proper authorisation to come through. Sometimes, it could be a tedious waiting period and while other times, it would be over in a matter of minutes. It depended upon the controller and the mood they were in. This was one of the reasons why he was very patient when it came to watching the target. It took skill, training and a certain amount of natural ability to be able to observe the mark silently that would yield results that he had planned.

The static crackled through the speakers before the shield controller's voice could be heard. "You are cleared, Slave 1, to proceed to these coordinates, using docking bay three alpha."

"Copy that Control. Flying to these coordinates as instructed." Jango stated through gritted teeth as he placed the coordinates into the flight computer as the part of the shield collapsed and allowed him through.

"That would be greatly appreciated Slave 1. Have a pleasant visit on Capza." The controller crackled back into existence before fading away. A feeling of unease slid along his spine as the controller signed off. Though, it was customary to wish a person a pleasant visit but there had been a slight infliction that coloured his tone of voice that Jango just could not quite put a name too. It was most disturbing as it never bode well for his stay dirtside.

Once he had successfully navigated to the coordinates and safely landed his ship in the designated docking bay, Jango proceed to dress in his gear, leaving his helmet for last as he checked the charge levels for his blasters. He knew that they were full but one could never be too careful in his business. He signalled for Slave 1 to go into lockdown mode as he slipped his helmet on and descended from his ship using the ramp. To say that he was surprise to see armed guards standing to attention would have been a blatant lie. Not that it always happened this way but it was not unusual to be requested to see the ruling body of the planet. Either the person he was being taken to was very foolish or very shrewd and knew the type of person that they were dealing with. Anticipation licked through his veins as he thought briefly about having a battle to test their mettle but he decided against it as he could see forming perspiration on the younger males. They knew who exactly they had to escort as Jango darkly chuckled within his helmet. It would have been a good workout and it had been awhile since he had one of them. He could feel the inner beast stretch and yawn from its slumber.

* * *

Jango knew opulent décor when he was being escorted through it. He had enough experience walking such lavish corridors of hailing monarchs and nobles to determine who had the wealth and power and who had not. It was pure posturing on their part in flaunting their supposed wealth to keep their subordinates in their respective positions. It would be easy enough to allow himself to get distracted by the rich furnishings that surrounded him as a heavily embellished wooden door came into view after the corner that they walked around. Upon approaching the door, one of the escort guards moved away and knocked before hearing a summons from inside. The door creaked and groaned under the weight as it slowly moved to reveal a room that held a table and chairs, like a boardroom. It was a foregone conclusion that this room was, were business was conducted as Jango could see the advantage points quite easily within the parameters of the room. Striding forward as he came to a rest within a few metres of the table, he observed the commanding officer watching him over his steepled fingers. Giving the armed escort a nod, they filed out of the room, closing the door behind them as Jango shifted his eyes to the shadowy area behind him.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr Fett." The commanding officer huffed a breath out as he slowly leant back in his seat. "It is not very often that we find ourselves graced by the presence of a man with you calibre."

"I am here at your behest." Jango inclined his head as the shadow continued to dance around his peripheral field, which in turn, was making Jango feel edgy as it was indication that the shadow held a hidden secret that needed to be kept from the rest of society. He should know because he used the shadows for exactly the same reason that the being was using them for. It was also used as an intimidation tactic that was as old as the galaxy and just as effective still when used upon the right person.

"While that is true I think that we could help each other." His eyes flickered to the side for a moment before settling upon Jango as he stood in a very relax but attentive way. "You have skills that I'm sadly lacking but I can get you any information that you need and so I have a bargain that I think will interest you."

Jango tilted his head for a moment as his eyes stayed upon the shadows. "And what that might be?" His curiosity was piqued at this proposition.

The commanding officer glanced once more over to the shadowy corner. "Quite frankly, I have a rebellion that has flared up over the last few years. It started out small enough but it has really gathered strength in the last three months."

The hidden man stepped out from the shadows with a snide smirk upon his face. "What the head of security is trying and failing to say is that we are in a bind because the men he commands are lacking the basics for warfare. It has been a relative peaceful planet until a new mineral was found and thus, war has broken out on who has the rightful claim over mining this new mineral."

"This would be a long-term contract. Correct?" Jango wanted to clarify as he continued to watch the unidentified male. "What exactly are you expecting from me?"

"It's really quite simple actually. It is really neglectful of me not introducing myself. I am Commissioner Soreureson." He flashed a toothy smile at the bounty hunter. "You come from the warrior caste. Mandalorians are famed for their fighting skills and I need someone from that caste to teach and guide the younger men in learning battle techniques."

Jango breathed in deeply as he subtlety shifted his weight to easier defend himself as needed. "As much as you flatter my species, you still haven't answered my question? Obviously you recognise that I have other contracts"

"That may be so but I will pay handsomely for your services. I do not like having divisions between the people of this planet. War is never good for business." Commissioner Soreureson snarled as he turned upon his heel and walked to the window.

"What you are speaking requires a long term contract and that is something that I am unable to provide for at this present time." Jango's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the commanding officer sink his head into his hands.

"Are you turning me down, Mandalorian?" The commissioner screeched as he turned around, his face an interesting shade of purple from the rage that flared across his face. "I could very well imprison you with the intention of having a public execution."

"That is the reason why I'm currently on your planet because of a contract that I'm honour bounded to fulfil." Jango's nostrils flared in displeasure as he explained himself. He did not like having threats made against him. "And what benefit would my death gain you?"

"We would gain nothing from your death, Mr Fett." The commander spoke up as he lifted his hands from his head. "It is pleasing to know that there is still some honour left in this forsaken galaxy."

"Your given word means everything in my line of work." Jango shifted his eyes between both males. "Because I deliver what I promise that is why I'm able to ask for the credits that I do."

"Which is fair and reasonable with the situation that you currently in." The commander deflected the Commissioner's benign protest. "I will personally see that you are compensated for your time spent training the army. My official title is Commander Phileto Muckdrake, commander of the Capzaian Forces and head of security for the current Commerce Master Commissioner."

Jango glanced between the males intently. "You say that like the position is vacated regularly?" He mused for a moment as Phileto gave a quick affirmative nod of his head.

"It's known to become available often enough." Phileto stated drily as he watched the controlled movements of the bounty hunter. It had intrigued him from the beginning that the man that stood in front of the table was always poised and ready for any sudden movements within his vicinity.

"You mentioned about a bargain early?" Jango remaindered the commanding officer.

"Yes I did." He scratched at his greying beard before he spoke. "The people of Capza are very distrustful of outsiders as I'm sure that you are more than acquainted with." Jango gave a small nod of confirmation at this assessment.

"And with the war that is brewing in the streets. . ." Jango trailed off as Phileto agreed.

"It would be difficult for you to get your information in a timelier manner. So this is what I propose, while you are training the men to be battle ready. I will endeavour to find as much information as I can on the target that you are seeking."

Jango thought over this information before acknowledging the truth behind the words spoken. "It will have to be done that way. People can be highly suspicious when a complete stranger, an offworlder, is asking questions. How long do you think you would need?"

"I would say no more than two weeks to gather the needed information. Capza is still a growing population, so they keep an eye out for strange happenings. I could contract you until then and further contract you when you become available again." Phileto leant back in his chair as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

"You do realise that could be quite some time?" Jango tilted his head to the side as the commissioner breathed out a sigh.

"That is why I want you to personally evaluate the men and decide on what would be the best technique to train them in. I realise that there is not much time to dispense all your knowledge but something has to be better than nothing." Phileto entreated Jango as he thought about his options that were available to him. Jango had never liked to be indebted to another being in that type of manner but even he could see that he never really had much choice in this particular situation. It was a dilemma that they needed to get pass.

"Two weeks, you say Commander?" Jango spoke as he once again took in the room. He could see that he would need to tread very carefully as the tension within the room had skyrocketed as they awaited his answer. Phileto gave a nod of his head as Jango sighed deeply within his helmet. "I will do these two weeks that you requested on one condition."

"That seems to be fair. What are your requirements?" The commissioner spoke over Jango as he moved away from the window and stood behind the commander.

Jango glanced sharply at the eager Commissioner. "If the information that I require isn't found in that time than I will acquire that information through my own means. Do we have a deal?"

"We have a pact Mandalorian." The Commissioner huffed as his eyes scrunched up in distaste. Jango turned his head slightly and stared at the Commander in silence before he nodded his head.

"We have a deal, Mr Fett." He agreed before he summoned the men standing outside the door. "I will have you escorted back to your ship. I should have the contract drawn up and you can have a look over it to make sure everything is in order." The Commander sounded weary as he rubbed a hand down his face.

"I will have my information ready for you Commander." Jango gave a nod of respect before departing from the room. He had not realised just how tense and coiled his body was wound as he stepped through the doors. It would appear that there was an underlying strained relationship between the other two males in the room. He had observed their interactions and it was not something he wanted to dissect. It would appear that he was here to do a job that he had inadvertently been drafted into it.

* * *

The violent afternoon storm had slowly converted into a thing of beauty as the rain gently fell down to the ground. The thunder did not shake the dwelling as it had before but it now had a much more calming effect as it rolled down through the mountains into the town. Lightning still forked across the darken sky in all its magnificent brightness but the townspeople had started too talked about the weather gentling into the winter cycle where everything was that much calmer and the temperature would drop by a few degrees more at night. Even if the planet was mostly temperate at times, it was a wonder that the people not only survived the more turbulent summer weather but actually thrive for it. It was such a strange contrast when a person really stops to think about it and Taylia had more than enough time to observe the societies around her.

A soft blanket laid in the centre of the sitting area as Taylia placed Arterlet upon his stomach before moving over to the wooden box that lay hidden against the wall as she quickly gathered an assortment of toys that he could play with. Carefully placing the toys around him to keep him amused as Taylia grabbed her basket and sat down in one of the single chairs that faced outside but where she could also keep an eye on the child. It was highly unlikely that he could crawl that far but he was known for rolling to where he wanted to go. She gave the entrance a critical look as she debated on whether she barred the doorway or not. She could hear Arterlet softly gurgling to himself in his baby speech as he tried to pull his body onto his knees. It would not be long before he become more mobile and then the dwelling would need to be childproofed even further.

A light breeze pushed the rain against the window, making a pattering sound on the protective glass pane. The rivers of water drawing attention to the outside world as Taylia laid out her mending supplies. Her eyes occasionally making their way to the green that adorned the mountain side, reaching into the basket for the first item that she needed to mend. Taylia shifted through her supplies as she found the correct coloured thread and needle, taking her time in threading the needle before glancing once more onto the floor. Arterlet was contently sucking on a foot of a soft material robot. Taylia shook her head as she chuckled softly at the child's antics. It was a joy watching the tiny scraps of humanity grow and explore their environment around them.

Taylia bent towards the shirt that she recognised as what she had originally grabbed from the basket. The shirt turned in different directions as she inspected where exactly the seam had come apart and needed to be repaired. It was a rather straightforward stitch as she felt contentment flow through her veins as she allowed herself to be absorbed into the sounds around her. A few choice expletives leaving her lips as she nicked her finger time and again with the needle before one finally sunk into her skin and she dropped the clothe that she had been mending back together. She peered outside to notice that the day was giving away to the night and the storm had finally given way to the drizzling of rain. She could understand the need of Mya visiting the more temperate worlds after living on such a desolate and sandy planet, the vista was breathtaking on a perfect day and devastatingly beautiful on a bad one.

She had never really have a personal preference on what worlds that she would like to inhabit. As a slave, she had never been allowed that luxury but it never stopped them from dreaming about being set free and travelling to that desired world. It was this hope that kept them from spiralling into despair even if you were born into that level of class. She had always suspected that she had been born free but sold into slavery as her earliest memories had two loving parents and a world of green. Taylia had come to the realisation that she may have been a farmer's daughter before she went to the auctions on another world. She gave her head a shake from the memories as she glanced once more at Arterlet as he had managed to get his knees under him and was starting to rock his body in preparation of his crawl. This was far simpler than trying to remember her earliest memory of a loving home that no longer existed and she liked to believe that it was only her imagination that was conjuring up these fanciful images.

"Won't be long now and we'll be in trouble." Taylia smiled slightly as she watched the enthusiastic rocking that the child was doing. Arterlet turned towards the voice and offered a toothless grin making Taylia wonder if any teeth would be making an appearance soon. It would explain the restless nights that he had been having lately. Her brow drew into a frown as Arterlet coughed and she took notice of it. It was nothing usual to get a sickness from others but he was still too young and his immunity was gathering strength. There were rumours spreading around the town about the miners with the coughing sickness. It was starting to place the inhabitants on edge as the medical professionals were more known for their unreliability than their doctoring. Taylia hoped that it was the change of season cough and not the rumoured sickness.

Mya walked to the open doorway and stared at her growing son. She had been fearful about the type of person that he would have grown into if he still had the guiding influence of his father. It was this beckoning fear that made her run from the shambles that was her supposed marriage. She would never be able to return home because she had disgrace her father's name with her current actions but she could never really tell him what had happened behind closed doors. It was an experience that she never wanted to remember ever again but it would only declare war between their species. She could understand why her mother had constantly asked if this was the course that she choose for herself. How naïve she had been all those years ago when Elkiran had visited her father and instead asked for her hand in marriage. The only hope that she held was that Elkiran had not set a bounty upon their heads because she knew that she would be dealt with in a permanent way of death.

"Taylia?" Mya called from the doorway as she slide her cloak about her shoulders. Her long silvery hair was braided behind her as the deep purple silk dress clung to her curves. "I will be working this night so I should be back in the early hours of the morning. You know what to do." She briefly fingered the commlink before gently throwing into Taylia's lap.

"Okay." Taylia looked down at the commlink sitting in her lap before glancing once again at the tall woman in the doorway. Her hazel eyes taking in the clothing that she wore. "Be safe. We know that some of her clientele can be questionable." She offered with a smile before waving Mya onwards. "Just seems to be you and me tonight, kiddo." She laughed when Arterlet gave his gurgled agreement as she turned her attention once more to the therapeutic means of mending clothing. It did not bring in much money but it help sooth her mind.

* * *

To make an assumption that the last two weeks having been the most frustrating in his entire career would be considered a rather mild conjecture of the situation. It would have been less troublesome in dealing with children than the soldiers who thought they knew everything about battle tactics. Jango huffed a breath out through his helmet for what seem like the hundredth time this day. He could feel the tension riding in his shoulders as they subconsciously rolled forward as he struggled not to roll his eyes as he studied the training simulation that he had programmed within the training yard. The evaluation process had taken a few days extra then he would have liked as the younger soldiers were least inclined to take orders from an outsider. It was not a stance that he could begrudge them as it was off-worlders that were stripping their planet of its natural resource. It was an all too familiar story across the Outer Rim planets but their very lives depended upon them in recounting their training by his hands. It was their responsibility and duty to make sure that their lives and those around them were protected. It was an almost impossible task to get them to perform as a coherent unit, so he had decided to switch them to self-defence for this particular activity, in a vain hope that they might actually learn something from the combat stimulations.

The day itself had dawned warmer than the other mornings and that was not really helping his temper as he felt a trail of wetness trickle down his back underneath his armour. He was looking forward to removing his armour after marinating in his own perspiration for so long and having a cool shower. As it appeared that he would need to perform some light maintenance upon his environmental controller as it had struggled with moderating the suit's temperature. Jango knew that he had been rather merciless with his training as it had been realised that the battles engaged were often lost. He briefly glanced over at the trees to gauge whether they were swaying with a breeze or not. The noon meal had passed a few hours earlier and he could see that most of the soldiers were sluggish with their movements. His attention was caught as some of the men's raucous laughter pierced the air. From his advantage point he could see some of the younger men scuffling in the dirt as limbs were flailing around without any coordination from their owners. Jango gave his head a sharp shake before stalking over to the small group and quickly but efficiently dropping the combatants to the ground.

"Do I even want to know what that is about?" Jango barked as he shifted his T-shaped visor to stare at the group as he slowly rose to his full intimidating height. "If you can't get along here and then you have no hope of being able to protect yourselves or anybody around you."

"Why should we listen to you?" A younger man's voice sounded disgruntled as it sneered from the crowd. "You're nothing but an outsider to this world."

"That may be true but none of you have the necessary skills to fight off other outsiders." Jango's voice growled as his hands came to rest upon his hips. "Does anyone know what the benefits of these exercises have been about?"

The crowd shifted uneasily upon their feet as they started to glance at each other before a gangly youth stood apart from the crowd. It would appear that he had been chosen as their spokesman. "The benefit of the exercises had been to build cohesion through the ranks." He seemed to debate with himself for a moment longer before adding, "Team work that is meant to keep us and everyone around us alive."

"That is a really good answer." Jango was impressed by the youth. "But what gets me is that this youth has managed to figure out what the rest of you haven't." He spat heatedly through his vocaliser. "Is it really such a difficult concept to work out?"

Most of the men glanced around at each other before collective shaking their heads in a negative fashion as they shifted more nervously upon their feet now. Jango had felt the overwhelming need to find the nearest hard surface and bang his head against it for a few hundred times until something made sense. "Dismissed" was suddenly growled through the air as each body without further instructions took flight to the barracks and their much needed rest. It was a general consensus that while Jango was fair and reasonable, he could be a very hard taskmaster. He continued to stare after the men before curtly turning upon his heels and headed towards his ship. Debating within himself the merits of showering or food first. It would appear that showering was leading in the debate when he felt another trickle of perspiration roll down his back.

Once he reached Slave 1, he quickly but efficiently removed his helmet from his head, exhaling a sigh of relief as he felt the cool air of the interior wash over his heated skin. He would need to run a diagnostics test over the environmental controls if he was going to continue with training tomorrow. He did not think he could take another warm day like this day had been. Jango figured that his suit needed a wash just as much as him as he bent at the waist and swiftly removed his boots from his feet. He curled his toes around the metal grating as he hung the boots upside down to allow the trapped water to escape while he took care of the armour in his fresher.

He did not bother with stripping off any of the armour pieces until he was under the misting spray. When he was satisfied that each piece of armour had been rinsed thoroughly then did he remove it and the underlying black body glove with it. Jango braced his arms as he settled the water upon his upper back and shoulder to help ease the tension within his shoulders that had built during the last training session. He stood in that position until the biological alarm chimed indicating that someone was approaching Slave 1. Grunting, he stepped from the cubical and quickly dried the moisture away before walking over to the viewing monitor and switched it to see the Capzaian Commander reaching the entrance. Seeing that he did not have much time, he grabbed the first items of clothing that he could find, which turn out to be pants and a short sleeve tunic before slipping them onto his body.

Pausing for a moment while he initiated the sequence for the diagnostics scan upon his helmet, Jango continued onwards to Slave 1's entrance. He would forego a meal for now as he deactivated the locking mechanism before stepping out, keeping the interior light at his back which casted his face into the shadows, making him difficult to identify.

"Good evening Mr Fett." Phileto stated smoothly as he nodded his head in greeting. "I hope your evening has been relaxing."

"Commander," Jango tilted his head back in greeting. "There is nothing to be relaxed about, which you will learn about when I submit my report."

"Ah yes!" Phileto smiled slightly as he remembered about the complaint that was made about the new training officer. "I heard about an incident that happened at the training yard this afternoon. I'm still a little surprised that you're dirtside"

"Don't think that I never thought about it but I gave my word." Jango harshly expelled a breath as he felt his stomach rumbled in silent protest, which was adding one more thing to his already cranky disposition.

"Yes that you did Fett." Phileto folded his arms over his chest as he leant back slightly and tilted his head to look up at the night sky. "And I thank you for the time and effort that you have invested in training my men."

"That made be so but credits are what show appreciation more." Jango said as he shifted in his spot. "Did you get my information for me?"

"It was quite difficult to gather." Phileto grunted as he held out the disc to Jango. "It seems like your young female had made quite an impression with the older population. They weren't very forthcoming with any information."

"You have to admire their loyalty." Jango reached forward and took the offered disc that Phileto had complied together. "What did you find?"

"That was two women with a small male child were residing in Capza for roughly 4 weeks before arranging sudden passage to Breeka." Phileto pointed out as he glanced once more back up into the night sky. "I expect that you'll want clearance to continue on with your objective?"

"That would be correct." Jango gave his head a firm nod. "How long are we talking about with this sudden undertaking of passage?"

"The records show that the ship flew out about two months ago. Three Strikes Ago is a cargo transport which also makes it just as strange as they don't usually carry out passengers unless they signed up as new crew members." Phileto pondered out loud.

"Haar'chak!" ( _Damn it!)_ Jango swore as he quickly calculated the time. It would appear that his original contact, Elkiran, had not being very truthful with most of the information that was on the data rod. It never ceased to amaze him that the creatures that hired him would falsify information that they believed that he would never find out about. As long as they paid his fees than he had no complaint against them but Elkiran had rubbed against him the wrong way. There had been something off about the whole the deal that Jango was starting to get a niggling feeling in the base of his stomach that was usually a signal that bad things were about to happened. "Do you know the reason behind that decision?"

Phileto shrugged his shoulders before answering the question. "All the information that I could find is on that disc. It is up to you with what information is used or not." He slipped his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. His eyes had not moved from the twinkling starts above. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure but whether I answer it is another matter altogether." Jango joked as a half-smile pulled at his lips. He could hear the uncertainty lacing the older man's voice.

"Would you consider taking a future contract for battle training my men?" Phileto gave Jango a quick glance before turning his head back towards the stars. He was thankful that there was no cloud covering the beautiful night sky as he would be at a complete lost to where he could stare if that had been the situation. "That would be after your current objective has been met of course."

"Let me think about it." Jango acknowledged as he folded his arms over his chest. "This contract could go any way but if I have the time, then maybe."

"There is no more than what I can ask for." Phileto breathed softly as he held out his hand. "It has been a pleasure Mr Fett."

"Likewise Commander." Jango shook his hand as he stayed to the shadows. "If I ever in this part of the galaxy. . ."

"Yes. Did you receive your supplies without hassles?" Phileto stopped Jango as he needed to get back to base as the gates would be closing soon.

"No problems." Jango smiled slightly as he could see that they would have become good friends if time had allowed the relationship to develop. It never hurt to know a few high positioned people that could help him when he needed it. It would appear that Capza had become his hunting ground for the near future. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye Jango." Phileto murmured before turning upon his heel and making his way back to the barracks and the men that were better off now that they had received much needed training. It had been a very fortunate decision to have Jango land upon the planet. He would forever be grateful to the bounty hunter for what had transpired in the training grounds.

Jango's stomach rumbled loudly as he continued to watch the retreating figure of Phileto before giving the general vicinity a quick scan before closing the hatch. As much as he enjoyed the challenge of training the men, he was ready to move on with his original objective, though, he would keep Phileto's potential contract on the reserve list that he was slowly complying of jobs that he could do when it was slim pickings. He stopped briefly to check upon the progression of the diagnostic scan before making his way to the gulley to get the nourishment that his body was strongly demanding. After preparing his meal, he sat and palmed the disc that Phileto had given him. The information that he currently had in his possession was producing a different portrayal of his targets. It would appear that he would need to proceed with caution as the information that he had been initial given was breaking down with the newer data. Nothing was making sense anymore as he flipped the disc and stared at it. He would study it on the next leg of his journey.

After he finished his meal, he went into the cockpit and placed the disc into the holder as he scanned the on-board navigation computer for the next destination in the Breeka System. Once the information was found, the computer automatically loaded the planet specifications to the screen before it started to plot the ideal flight path to the Cadavine Sector. Jango briefly studied the information before switching over to the map and noticed that a pattern was forming in the way that his targets were planet hopping. He would need to commend Elkiran's wife for the intelligent decision of using the outer rim territory to hide in plain sight, which was usually a smart thing to do unless you had a hefty bounty placed upon your head. He shook his head as he keyed in the flight plan before leaning backwards in his seat. He still had the slightly unsolved matter of submitting his daily training report. What had taken him by surprise was that Phileto had still wanted his expertise in battle command, even though a complaint had been made against him. Jango exhaled slowly as he reached forward and started to put his report together. He detested this part of the day but it gave Phileto the insight into his troops. He would finish this off before hitting the rack for an early departure to the Breeka System in the morning.

* * *

It had seemed such an ideal cover story when they first made themselves into who they were; a servant girl and her master travelling the wider galaxy in search of the child's lost father who had been shipped off and never returned back home. It had held a ring of truth to it as transport ships went missing all the time. It also added a layer of protection for when they landed upon the more lawless planets. Taylia should know because a few of those widows had ended up exactly in her position and she would have gambled that they had been freed at one point in their lives. It was not the unmarred skins that gave them away but their fiery spirits that they contained. If they had entered slavery at a younger age, they would soon discover which battles to pick and who they were with. But Taylia was now finding the charade wearing her down as she felt ready to move onwards with her life. She had found that she wanted more freedom as she was exploring more of the world around her. Something she had never been allowed to even contemplated in her short life. She was starting to get the feeling that Mya was neither ready nor willing to break the bonds of uncertainty that held them firmly together.

She could hear Mya rustling around within the master bedroom as Taylia looked through the lounge room window over the rain soaked ground. The future held more of an uncertain element now that the household funds were starting to deplete at an alarming rate. It was a prospect that weighted heavily upon her mind as she had been secretly saving credits for emergency passage for when it was needed. She might not have been privy to the final decision when they fled the other planets but she knew what had been bartered for their passage and it was not an option that she wanted chosen this time. Taylia was starting to get an uneasy feeling that if they resided much longer upon this planet, then they would be in a perilous situation. Her mind was drawn from her tumbling thoughts as she felt Arterlet snuffled within her arms. She started to make a shushing sound in helping to settle him down again as she stuck her finger into his mouth and felt along his gum for the growing bump, hoping that the tooth had decided to finally cut through. Taylia had not liked the rosy cheeks that came with the running nose that had started two days ago. She had mentally calculated the credits needed to visit the medical centre in town but she only just had enough. Medical treatment was expensive and they could barely afford the rent on their accommodations, without the added medical expense.

They needed to swiftly devise a plan to ease the stressful situation that they found themselves in. Taylia had always supplemented the income through her sewing but it was becoming glaringly obvious that it was never enough. Taylia thought it may have been a miscommunication within their initial construction of the plan that explained what happened to the household funds. She knew that Mya had been used to living with a certain amount of entitlement but that was being reflected within the living arrangements. She glanced down at the baby that was gently making smacking sounds with his mouth as he tried to roll in her arms. Taylia smiled at the moment of innocence before walking to his room and placing Arterlet into his bed, rubbing his stomach to settle him back to sleep. A sudden thought sparked within her mind that the very reason that Iselei was constantly asking about their financial situation because she knew how desperate that situation was now getting. Taylia cursed softly under her breath as she turned around and stalked back to the lounge room. Mya opened the door and softly padded towards the same room.

"I guess that we need to talk?" Mya asked as she got to the entry way and stared at the pacing female inside, her hands wringing themselves together.

"I have one question," Taylia exhaled forcibly as she closed her eyes momentarily and allowed the anger to wash from her. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

Mya walked forwards and sat down on one of the seats. "One day." She chewed her lip as she nervously looked up to stare at Taylia as she blinked in disbelief. "Possibly," Her eyes focusing upon the ceiling. "Maybe I would have if it got beyond a point."

"Mya!" Taylia rubbed her forehead. It was such a role reversal that she had no idea on how she could proceed with the conversation. "We are at that point now."

"I know but nothing I do is helping. I'm not use to living on such a small stipend of credits." Mya whined as she clasped her hands together as she started to spiral downwards into despair. "We're about to evicted from our dwelling."

"Is that why Iselei kept asking after me?" Taylia winced slightly at how conceited that sounded but she was getting beyond the point of caring.

"I'm not really certain how she found out." Mya admitted softly. "But once she knew, it was difficult to ignore her and the information that she held."

"Yeah, I know how it works." Taylia glanced out the window. "I'm still refusing to work for her." She folded her arms across her chest. "I'll take on some more jobs elsewhere."

"It may be too late now." Mya glanced to the side as she inhaled a deep breath. "My clientele has not been very big for the simple fact is that most of them are seeking more than I'm willing to give."

"What exactly have you both been discussing in arrangements because it's starting to sound like I'm being employed by Iselei?" Taylia suspiciously narrowed her eyes at Mya as she started to look guilty.

"We discuss your potential of possibly working the floor of keeping customers' stomachs full and watered." Mya stood up and walked over to where Taylia stood and touched the tips of her hair. "I explained that we did not need another child in the house and that was a sure way of happening."

"You know what her words are like, sweet nothings and whispers in your ears." Taylia huffed a breath out as she smiled slightly at the hand upon her shoulder. "She is like a well-oiled snake. Half-truths and falsehoods to make it seem like she is the one helping you but in fact you're digging yourself deeper in her web."

"That might be so but she was rather hopeful that I could change your mind." Mya smiled softly as she brushed her fingers over Taylia's neck.

Taylia spun upon her heel and glared at Mya as she got an uncomfortable feeling settling within her stomach. "No one touches me." She spat through gritted teeth. "I am not a piece of meat that is be bartered around to the highest bidder. Is that what happened to you, Mya? Were you sold to the highest bidder?" Taylia gentled her voice as she realised the words that she had unleased upon the visual shaken woman.

"Yes, I was." Mya looked ashamed at her behaviour towards the only person that had helped her in the last few months. "My father had a debt to pay and I was a commodity that was no longer needed. I had become a liability when I reached womanhood. My mother begged him not to do so but Elkiran had what my father needed the most, money and so in exchange for it. I was married off to Elkiran until he no longer needed me."

"That must have been difficult to adjust to the changed living arrangements. I have a vague recollection of my parents but I fear they have long since passed over." Taylia softly admitted. It would seem that unhealed wounds were about to be dealt with. "I was too young to realise who had sold me to the highest bidder." She shook her head as she glanced once more out the window. "I was four when I first had my taste of slavery. How old were you?"

"I had just turned fifteen when I was introduced to Elkiran." Mya sighed as she sat back down in her seat again. "I thought it was my idea that we elope together. I did not have the knowledge that it was my father and him that had planned the whole thing. If I could change my life, it would be that I would have run the other direction. But I do have one question. Why was I only ever called the Mistress?"

Taylia frowned in thought as she shifted upon her feet. "It was meant to show a sign of respect to your position. Every being under the impression that your name was not meant to be known, keeping it impersonal as you were the person in charge."

"That explains that but I also heard whispers as well." Mya muttered as her gaze swept over the room. The thought of it still stung to this very day. "You don't have to answer this but how many other wives did Elkiran have?"

"You were the fourth but the first to give him the heir he desired." Taylia murmured softly as she watched Mya's face crumped at the information that she received. "I'm sorry." Taylia was feeling very uncomfortable as she shifted uneasily upon her feet. She needed to get moving but she could tell that Mya needed to be comforted and Taylia did not really know how she would be able to do that. "We'll get through it."

"So what are we going to do then?" Mya looked uncertain as Taylia breathed in deeply before exhaling forcibly.

"You realise that you are younger than me." Taylia chuckled as her brain finally comprehended that bit of information. "I have no idea but it seems that you may have beaten me to it."

"I'm sorry but Iselei had taken an interest in you." Mya apologised again as she glanced at the young woman. "Don't tell anyone that fact because they will not believe you anyway."

"So are you ordering me considering that I am nothing but a lowly slave?" Taylia bowed her head as she bit the inside of her cheek.

"Ah but you haven't been a lowly slave since the day we fled. Did you really think that it was mere fate that you were in that nursery?" Mya lightly asked as she tilted her head.

"That thought did cross my mind as there are usually two other girls that were scheduled but one of them had been sold and I was filling in until a replacement could be found." Taylia clucked her tongue as she decided that she needed to sit down. She knew what the other female was sold for and that the household was getting a reshuffle soon.

"I might not have much dealing in the disposal of the girl but you knew what was happening?"

"Only that of rumours and hearsay." Taylia clarify as she shook her head.

"Most of the slaves were approaching an age that was best for Elkiran to gain the optimum amount of credits." Mya informed her. "Only the most prime candidates get selected for these auctions."

"So that was the reshuffle that everyone was worried about. I don't see how that relates to me?" Taylia confusion was evident on her face.

"You were one of them, Taylia." Mya stated as she stood up. "You were to be sold to the Pleasure Circle, a very well-known but discreet brothel."

"And what is the difference between that and what Iselei wants?" Taylia demanded. "And what of Arterlet? Who will watch over him while we are working because she wants to get her credits worth?"

"Art will be seen too and I warned that she so much as put you towards that type of employment. Than we would leave and never come back." Mya glanced at the time in the wall. "I have to leave for work now but please think about it. We don't have much time."

"I'll think about it but please know that if I do choose to work for Iselei that I'm not going to like it." Taylia folded her arms over her chest as her bottom lip pushed forward to give her a pouty look.

"We have the miners coming in next week." Mya warned as she pulled her cloaked around her shoulders. "You are not a stranger to hard labour."

"That I know of." Taylia smiled slightly. She watched as Mya opened and closed the front door softly as she exited the dwelling. Taylia leant back in her seat and thought about the conversation that had happened. Though, it had been enlightening as well as daunting, she could not believe that the matter had been resolved that efficient. It had the appearance of being easy and that was making her uneasy that there was trouble in the near future. There seem to be no other recourse but to take Iselei upon her offer of employment. Some weight had been lifted off her shoulders but a different feeling had settled within her bones. She shook her head as she stood and went to the kitchen and made herself a meal. Only time would tell if she had made the right decision.

* * *

So what do you think? Let me know. So until next time, have a good one! ;D


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